350 SYRNIA NYCTEA. 



white ; some of the feathers of the upper part of the 

 head marked with a small oblong brown spot ; the sca- 

 pulars and wing-coverts with two spots towards the end ; 

 the quills and tail-feathers also having a few spots indi- 

 cative of the previous existence of bands ; the breast 

 and sides are narrowly banded. 



Length to end of tail 23 inches, to end of wings 21 i ; 

 wing from flexure 17| ; tail 9^ ; bill along the ridge 

 1 j^2, along the edge of the lower mandible 2 ; tarsus ?|; 

 the first toe /g, its claw ly\ ; second toe 1 j^^, its daw 

 lj2'^ third toe l^^^ its claw 1 1^^ ; fourth toe J, its 

 claw lf|. 



Female. — The female, which greatly exceeds the 

 male in size, resembles it in colour, the dark markings, 

 however, being larger. 



Length to end of tail 27 inches, to end of wings 25 ; 

 wing from flexure 18; tail 9^; bill along the ridge 

 l{i, along the edge of lower mandible 2 ; tarsus 2i ; 

 first toe y\, its claw 1 j% ; second toe l/^j, its claw l^^ ; 

 third toe li, its claw li ; fourth toe |g, its claw l^. 



Variations — The principal variations are observed 

 in the size of the dark spots and bars, which are larger 

 in the younger individuals, and gradually diminish the ' 

 older the bird becomes. Mr Audubon states that, in 

 North America, individuals of a uniform white colour 

 are not unfrequently found. Of the difi^erent skins 

 which I have examined, none, however, were entirely 

 white. 



Habits. — Not having met with the snowy owl in 



